


I have a compass without a sense of direction

by yunnings (ladylolli)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Daisuga Week, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Injury Recovery, M/M, Romance, sailors!AU, ukai's trauma (beta insists this tag wwww)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-28
Updated: 2014-08-28
Packaged: 2018-02-15 03:05:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2213418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladylolli/pseuds/yunnings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I’m not the cabin boy,” Sugawara answers simply. “Although I do get why you’ll think I’m one.” He snickers, breath tickling Daichi's ears.<br/>“But the others look too respectfully at you to be the cabin boy,” Daichi interjects.</p><p>daisuga | sailors!au</p><p>for #daisuga week on tumblr</p>
            </blockquote>





	I have a compass without a sense of direction

**Author's Note:**

> roughly based on [this](http://maddox-rider.tumblr.com/post/95466404940/i-would-hold-you-in-my-arms-and-take-the-pain); navy know-how from [here](http://www.brethrenofthegreatlakes.com/forum/index.php?topic=72.0) and [here](http://www.thepirateking.com/index.htm)  
> title, suggested by beta (tybae!), is hsj's 'compass rose' (translation [credit](http://jumplyrics.tumblr.com/post/89664440879/compass-rose-lyrics-yaotome-hikaru))
> 
> beta credits: [rikotan](http://archiveofourown.org/users/rikotan/pseuds/rikotan)
> 
> Crew's Positions  
> Captain - Ukai; used to be Gramps Ukai  
> Quartermaster (2nd after Captain) - Takeda; used to be Ukai  
> Navigator (stressful job, apparently) - Sugawara  
> Doctor - Daichi  
> *The crew knows about their Doc. and his name, but hasn't met face-to-face  
> *Daichi knows only his crewmates' names, but not their positions (also, hasn't met face-to-face until fic takes place)

“Better?” Daichi asked, lowering his arm as Sugawara retrieved his foot. Sugawara smiles wearily. He does not inspect his bandaged foot, but huddles it close to his chest protectively. Sugawara’s eyes, Daichi notes, were red from unshed tears. “Still hurts?” Daichi inquires softly.

“Yeah,” Sugawara answers, sheepish. The wind carries sea-salt, ruffling Sugawara’s hair and captures Daichi’s breath.

Daichi scratches his neck, stopping when his fingers touched the cold metal of his stethoscope. "Need help?" He extends his hands invitingly.

Tanned, and strong, Sugawara notices. Veins map his tanned skin. Daichi will make a good sailor - Sugawara understood why Captain Ukai picked him as their new Doctor. Sugawara shook his head at Daichi’s extended hands. "Thanks for the offer though," Sugawara politely declines and hobbles away as Daichi watches.

-

_"Man-” The crew mate bellowed, chuckling as he corrected himself, “Kid overboard!" He looked over at the wildly flapping kid. "Keep flapping, kid!" He yelled, "We're gon' scoop you out real quick!"_

_True to his words, Sugawara Koushi was scooped out of the water. Sugawara gasps in air. Oxygen's released more than it's breathed in. Not enough._

_The man thumps his back. "Take your time breathing," he assures. Sugawara looks at him with wide eyes, following his instructions to breath in deeply, hold, release the air, and repeat. "That's right, kiddo," the crew mate beams as Sugawara's breathing evens out._

_"T-thank you." His throat is hoarse. The combination of burning saltwater and sour sweat from the crewmen irritates his glands; his tears ready to spill._

_“I’m Ukai,” The man introduces himself. He takes out a cigar, but thought against it. “And this-” Ukai gestures to the ship they are on, “-is my gramps’ ship.”_

-

Sugawara keeps his mouth closed, eyeing the troop gathering fruits, breads and meats. The supply is more than sufficient to last them on their next voyage. They are jovial, yet quick on their hands and feet. Sugawara wonders how often he has seen Nishinoya and Hinata scurrying back and forth with barrels and crates of purchases. There are pins and needles on the sole of his feet and an imaginary itching on his ass - he’s restless. Sugawara wants to help.

"Captain-!" Sugawara attempts to stand steadily despite his injured leg, but returns to sitting on the empty barrel when the man shoots him the stink-eye.

"Aye Sugawara," Captain Ukai shifts the barrel of vegetables onto his left shoulder, "Just sit still and recover, boy." Takeda follows behind. The door to the supply shop ringing close. Ukai shifts the barrel of vegetables again, and directs the Quartermaster to where Sugawara sits. He continues on his way, whistling a tune of rum and fortunes.

Sugawara might have been wearing an unhappy expression, because Takeda smiles agreeingly. "We'll be fine," Takeda assures. His hair resembles a bird's nest aggravated from the sea breeze. Sweat beads his temples, but he does not look exhausted. “Let’s get you aboard the ship, alright?” Takeda offers.

Sugawara takes his proffered hand. They hobble along the path, until Daichi relieves Sugawara from Takeda.

-

“I can walk just fine,” Sugawara stubbornly stands his ground. He shrugs Takeda’s and Daichi’s grip off, showing them that he can stand perfectly fine. Sugawara did not last a minute though. The doctor raises an eyebrow, unamused. Even with Sugawara uncooperative, the pair had carefully maneuvered him onto Daichi’s back. They were careful to avoid jostling Sugawara’s injured foot.

Takeda pats his back consolingly. Sighing, Sugawara gives up and cooperates. He leans his weight against Daichi’s back.

“You know,” Daichi heaves Sugawara up into a more secure position, “I never got your position aboard Captain Ukai’s ship.” Sugawara looked frail and fair-skinned, and Daichi had believed Sugawara to be a cabin boy. After meeting the rest of the crew, he doubts so. “I thought you were the cabin boy before,” Daichi sheepishly admits, glad that Sugawara can’t see his face. “But I don’t think so.”

“What makes you think that I’m not?” Sugawara asked, amused.

The grip on his shoulders loosened, and Daichi scrambles to hold Sugawara against him tighter. “Don’t let go like that!” Daichi sounded strained. Their doctor releases the breath he had held as Sugawara laughs heedless into the wind. Daichi likes the sound of Sugawara’s laughter.

“So?” Daichi grunts as he heaves Sugawara up.

“I’m not the cabin boy,” Sugawara answers simply. He hums thoughtfully, “Although I do get why you’ll think I’m one.” Sugawara snickers, breath tickling his ears.

“But the others look too respectfully at you to be the cabin boy,” Daichi interjects, recalling the crew mates saluting an injured Sugawara while carrying crates and barrels of purchase. He hides an amused grin.

"I'm the Navigator," his companion reveals softly, gripping onto his shoulder. Daichi cannot help but think of the sheer intimacy of such an action. Through the thin material of his shirt, Daichi can tell that Sugawara's palms are sweat-ridden.

"I'm the Doctor," Daichi introduces himself, quite redundantly in his opinion. Daichi was sure that Captain Ukai had introduced him, seeing how the crew had cheerfully waved at him as they pass. He tries to relax his shoulder despite Sugawara's sudden tension, "I - _we'll_ be in your care, Navigator." Daichi grins, looking at the ship. Trepidation courses through his veins. The water glimmers like jewels, reflecting off the hull, and promises of treasures and adventures. "I feel that getting lost is pretty fun too,” Daichi utters, staring at the ship in awe.

Sugawara laughs.

-

_“Aye, Sugawara,” then-Quartermaster Ukai waves, “Your hair’s looking real white.”_

_Sugawara furrows his brows, and tries to look at his hair. His hair’s too short for him to see. Sugawara resists the urge to pluck a strand out to check its colour. Are they really white? It shouldn’t be. When has his hair grown white? He almost steps back into his cabin to inspect his hair in the mirror._

_Ukai’s raucous laughter stops him._

_“What’s so funny?” Sugawara purses his lips, unamused. His feet is still hovering between the cabin entrance and heading towards the Quartermaster._

_“It’s just-” Ukai’s sentence was broken off as he chokes on spit and saliva. The laughter turns into raspy coughs. Sugawara heads over and thumps Ukai’s back. “It’s just,” Ukai tries again, calmer, “You looked so stressed being appointed Navigator.” The Quartermaster grins and ruffles his hair, “You’ll do fine, Sugawara. So don’t turn your hair white over it!”_

_“Aye, sir.” Sugawara mock-salutes his companion. Lips curved upwards in entertainment._

_“‘Sides,” Sugawara notes the thoughtful tone in Ukai’s voice, “Getting lost’s part and parcel of the sailor life.” He looks out towards the sea with a fond smile. Ukai turns to him abruptly, brows furrowed, “As long as we aren’t lost for too long.” His tone was so serious that Sugawara cannot help but chortle in hilarity._

_“What happened?” Sugawara queries amusedly, prompting Ukai to recount the various times they had gotten lost._

-

“Better?” Daichi asked. He tries to crane his neck back to peer at his charge. Sugawara squeezes Daichi’s shoulders and his peals of laughter resound around their immediate area. Daichi would have loved to see Sugawara’s expression now, but Sugawara’s happy laughter is still ringing in his ears, and that is enough.

“Yes,” Sugawara answers, sheepish. “I wonder why I was ever anxious about navigating,” Sugawara admits, resting his head against Daichi’s back. Sugawara need not worry about being an incompetent guide - his crewmates have faith in him, and being lost is just another adventure. Daichi’s steady inhale and exhale relaxes him. Sometime ago, their breathing had become synchronised. _Sawamura Daichi,_ Sugawara notices, _is as steady as his back show._ “Welcome aboard, Doc.!”

Daichi would have scratched his neck abashedly. But with the weight that he has to support on his back, Daichi merely chuckled his gratitude.

Warmly, Sugawara chirps, “It’s good to have you around!”

 


End file.
